Saturday, June 16, 2012

I am not a knife expert by any means- but I really dig the Leatherman Skeletool (and I think it is a great tool for fishermen). It is my humble opinion that every man should carry a knife. In fact, I think all women should carry one too- Not as a weapon (well, I guess it can be that) or for some nefarious purpose, but as tool. I have carried a knife since my Boyscout days. I've carried Case knives, Benchmades, Kershaws and various other pocket knives. These are all good knives and all came in handy, but my Leatherman Skeletool is by far the most useful. This bad boy is a knife, a set of pliers, wire cutters, screwdrivers (phillips and flat), a bottle opener and a carbiner. I have used it to remove hooks, de-barb hooks, cut things, bend things, open things, hammer things, hold things, fix things, break things- and I may have confiscated a road sign with it once...

I know some of you own or even carry Leatherman tools or other multi-tools. As you know, they are nice to have on you, but can be cumbersome to lug around in your pocket. That is the beauty of the Skeletool. The size of the Skeletool is perfect for every day carry, but it is more than just a blade. I carry it in the corner of my back left pocket with the pocket clip and do not even notice it until I need it. The blade is perfect for my purposes- locks tight, feels solid, stays sharp and sharpens easily. I got the non-serrated blade just because that is my preference. Oh, and you can deploy the blade with one hand, which is super handy.
The pliers are a good size and can really do some work. They are great for de-barbing hooks or removing them from fish faces as well. The tool fits nicely in your hand, though it might not be the best for extended use with all the contours and edges. The screw driver works pretty well and the multiple bit system is very well designed. I have to admit the task for which I use this tool most is opening beverages (which it does admirably). The only "con" I can think of is that the blade seems to be ground in an uneven manner. It is still sharp, it just looks like one side is ground at a steeper angle.
I have a larger Leatherman 2000 that never left my belt when I worked out West, but that biggun is a little heavy and besides, the belt holster cramps my style. You really cannot carry a full size Leatherman in your pocket comfortably, which is why the Skeletool fits that niche so nicely. Anyway, if you need a good carrying knife that does more than just cut, get you a Leatherman Skeletool.